


Knucklebones

by SlenderLoris



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2380895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlenderLoris/pseuds/SlenderLoris





	Knucklebones

Aiden stared at the cauldron, engrossed. Without taking his eyes from the bubbling solution in front of him, the druid absentmindedly reached for the bowl of herbs he had prepared with the stump of his right hand, knocking it over.

Aiden allowed himself a moment to curse Julius Ceasar, his descendents, and all of Rome. Then he carefully swept the mixture back into the bowl, with his left hand, and dumping the whole thing in the cauldron.

The cauldron continued to bubble, and soon the stream had become a pale blue color, smelling faintly of cedar.

Knock. Knock. 

Aiden pushed himself up, brushing dirt off his trousers. Crossing the house in a few short strides, he wrenched open the door.

“Slanchathan- “ He began, “Dis Pater, what have you done this time?” 

Standing in his doorway was a Roman soldier.

Her cropped hair was longer than usual, poking out from under her helmet. Her trousers and cloak were obviously bloodstained, though her breastplate and greaves had obviously been cleaned and polished. Romans. 

The woman’s arm was also cut, bloody rag held to it with one hand, the other poised to knock again. 

Seeing him, she grinned, and gestured to her arm.

“I see that, get in, what happened?” He demanded, shooing her into a chair as he grabbed his kit from the table. Quickly heating the needle in the fire, he threaded it with gut and kneeled next to her. “Numeria, you bloody idiot - “ he said as he plunged the needle into her skin, ignoring her hiss of pain “do you go actively looking for trouble-,“ another hiss, “because -”

“Bandits, ” Numeria said. “I do try to avoid getting injured.”

“Are you sure?,” Aiden asked, incredulous. “Immortal or not, how have you even survived this long? Do you like getting cut up?”

“Trust me, I try to avoid it, because there’s this Gallic healer who gives me a lecture every time I ask him to sew me up.” She stared meaningfully at the caldron, which was now emitting pink sparks, “The same healer who definitely isn’t a druid, and definitely isn’t brewing banned potions in his house where anyone could come in and see them,”

She straightened up and her smile faded, stern as the the damned Roman centurion she was. “Green smoke has been coming from your chimney for weeks. I could see it miles away.”

She held up a hand to calm him before he panicked. “I handled it. But I’m leaving for Hispania is a months’ time. You have got to be more careful while I’m away.”

“Tch. I’ll be more careful when you start to actually avoid getting injured,” he said, sitting down next to her. The potion wouldn’t need to be stirred for a bit. “How soon do you need to head back?”

“I’m ‘grievously injured’. I’m sure no one would be surprised if I take my time returning to camp.”

“Up for a game of knucklebones?”

“Only if you are prepared to lose.”


End file.
